Students discover the value of learning by doing with a project-based education.
WPI’s Center for Project-Based Learning helps other institutions prepare students for a successful future.
Find out about the lifelong benefits of experiential, hands-on learning through project work.
WPI offers more than 70 degree and certificate programs to meet a range of academic interests.
More than three dozen academic departments and programs give students options to explore their varying interests.
Challenging courses, helpful advising, and research opportunities are hallmarks of WPI’s undergraduate experience.
Graduate students work alongside faculty experts to advance research and ideas that make the world better.
WPI’s programs give middle and high school students opportunities to explore STEM fields and hone leadership skills.
Our flexible, collaborative online graduate programs help working professionals succeed.
Professional development helps lifelong learners meet career goals and work better.
The STEM Education Center works with educators to guide integrated and inclusive STEM learning experiences.
WPI professors are committed researchers and scholars with world-class credentials.
Based on seven-week terms, WPI’s academic calendar has all the important dates you need to know.
From academic rules to courses of study, WPI’s academic catalogs help guide a student’s academic journey.
If you love STEM—or even theater and music—WPI is for you. You’ll find your place here.
Transfer students thrive at WPI. Bring your credits, your curiosity, and your drive—and find your place in a hands-on, project-based community.
WPI’s graduate studies are rigorous and flexible— preparing students to be experts and leaders.
The financial aid office will help you explore all possible options available to fund your education.
WPI’s warm and welcoming community means you’ll find your place—and your people—here.
Students have great options for housing and dining choices to accommodate different needs.
Join the community! With 250+ clubs and organizations and many other options, it’s easy to jump in.
Intramural teams, an invigorating swim, pick-up soccer on the fields—WPI gets you moving.
A healthy lifestyle balances body and mind. WPI has many health and wellness resources for the community.
Asking for help is an important part of the college years. WPI makes it easy to find resources.
Begin the transition to college with the support of WPI’s comprehensive First-Year Experience.
WPI research highlights the technical and societal intersections of global challenges.
Research at WPI’s well-equipped centers and institutes targets specific real-world challenges.
Students participate in research starting in their first year at WPI—whether in the classroom, lab, or field.
Applied research in healthcare, manufacturing, public safety, education, and energy provides needed solutions.
Students, faculty, and partners collaborate in WPI’s hands-on space for creative problem-solving.
WPI helps faculty and researchers protect, commercialize, and license their innovations and intellectual property.
From ideation to incubation, WPI’s i3 Lab helps students validate ideas and launch real-world ventures.
WPI is a premier STEM-focused university in Massachusetts known for its project-based, globally engaged education. Find everything you need to start your application journey.
WPI offers more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across 18 academic departments, with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a commitment to project-based learning.
Life at WPI extends well beyond the classroom. Explore housing, clubs, athletics, and the resources that help students thrive.
Project-based learning is at the heart of a WPI education. For over 50 years, we have prepared students to tackle real-world challenges through hands-on, team-driven projects.
WPI’s research enterprise is dedicated to discovering and developing solutions to problems that matter, with record growth through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Innovation and entrepreneurship flourish at WPI through education programs, technology transfer, research initiatives, and maker spaces that help ideas become reality.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has moved significantly higher in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, entering the top 75 national universities at No. 73, and ranking No. 42 among the nation’s 1,500 private colleges surveyed. The gains reflect WPI’s continued focus on strong student outcomes through immersive STEM education and purpose-driven learning and research.
WPI also earned high marks in several areas central to the student experience, ranking No. 6 in the nation for senior capstone projects, No. 13 for co-ops and internships, and No. 50 among the nation’s most innovative schools. It also ranked No. 58 on the Best Value Schools list. 
The university was further recognized with new or improved rankings for its undergraduate programs in teaching (No. 49), engineering (No. 57), computer science (No. 65), and business (No. 176).
“This recognition reflects the strength of a WPI education and, most importantly, the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni,” said WPI President Grace Wang. “Our students learn by applying knowledge to meaningful challenges, working across disciplines, and developing the skills and character to lead responsibly. Those experiences prepare them to make an impact from the moment they graduate.”
0verall #73, private Colleges #42, senior capstone projects #6, for co-ops and internships #13, most innovative schools #50, best value schools #58, undergraduate programs in teaching #49, engineering programs #57, computer science programs #65, business programs #176
Hands-on learning has been at the center of WPI’s educational model for more than half a century. Every undergraduate completes projects throughout their time at WPI, including three substantial academic projects—similar to a capstone or co-op—each with a distinct focus and purpose. Students frequently work in teams and collaborate with community or corporate partners at more than 50 project centers around the world to address specific challenges with real-world relevance. Beyond these signature experiences, nearly two-thirds of WPI alumni report completing project work in at least half of their undergraduate courses.
That repeated, hands-on learning helps students build the technical expertise, collaboration and communication skills, adaptability, and sense of purpose needed for a rapidly changing world. In WPI’s most recent alumni survey, 93% of respondents said their project experiences enhanced their ability to work effectively on a team, while 88% said the approach helped them develop stronger personal character.
Other national rankings have underscored the long-term value of a WPI degree. That recognition echoes a March 2025 U.S. News & World Report ranking that placed WPI No. 18 among Colleges with the Best Return on Investment, citing an independent estimated 40-year return on investment of $3.4 million for a WPI education, measured in 2023 dollars.
The latest rankings build on WPI’s broader record of preparing graduates to succeed in their careers and contribute to their communities. That record also includes WPI’s designation as an R1 university in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, recognized as the highest level of research spending and doctorate production. While rankings represent only one measure of a university’s impact, WPI’s recognition across several categories underscore the value of an education that connects rigorous academics and high-impact research with immersive experience, innovation, and purpose.